The Mitten Channel

Connor Coyne novel "Urbantasm" Set in Deindustrialized Flint


Listen Later

In this interview, Connor discusses his newest novel, the 4th in the series "Urbantasm." The series is set in deindustrialized Flint, Michigan.

Connor Coyne is a writer living and working in rust belt Flint, Michigan, a town devastated by deindustrialization. Connor spent his teenage years in Flushing, Michigan.  Connor represented Flint's 7th Ward as its artist-in-residence for the National Endowment for the Arts, Our Town grant. In this grant, artists engaged ward residents to produce creative work for the 2013 City of Flint Master Plan. Connor's work has appeared in Vox.com, Belt Magazine, and Santa Clara Review. He lives with his wife, two daughters, and an adopted rabbit in Flint's College Cultural Neighborhood (East Village).

Coyne's novel describes a fantastical plot founded upon a mythical city where the main characters grew up.  The story revolves around parts of a dying industrial rust belt town. In the interview, the author, Connor Coyne, acknowledges that this factory town is Flint, Michigan.

The book sets out the good, bad, and ugly way of life in middle America, where the characters navigate the vices and demons of urban life in a blue-collar America that struggles to survive.

-----

You can learn more about Connor Coyne and his books by visiting his author's website.

-----

 The music for the outro, Flint River Blues, about the Flint Water Crisis, was written and performed by Colton Ort and used with his permission.

👉Subscribe to The Mitten Channel

Join us for the full experience. Subscribe to The Mitten Channel on Substack to receive our latest narrative essays, audio stories, and deep-dive reporting directly in your inbox.

Explore Our Series:

  • Radio Free Flint: Narrative storytelling and community perspectives on industrial resilience.
  • The Mitten Works: Essential history and analysis of labor and economic policy.
  • Flint Justice: Critical insights into the legal and institutional challenges facing our state.

Visit our Mitten Channel website for our complete library of podcasts, videos, and articles.

The Mitten Channel is a production of Radio Free Flint Media, LLC. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.



...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Mitten ChannelBy The Mitten Channel

  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9

4.9

15 ratings